A lot of people come to a violin lesson expecting a teacher to teach them how to play the violin! Teacher tells learner what to do, learner does it, everyone's happy. But is that all there is to a violin lesson?
A lot of people come to a violin lesson expecting a teacher to teach them how to play the violin! Teacher tells learner what to do, learner does it, everyone's happy. But is that all there is to a violin lesson?
Here’s the gorgeous, tender melody from the 3rd movement of Scheherazade by Rimsky-Korsakov, his epic symphonic suite based on One Thousand and One Nights. Click here to download The Young Prince and Princess from the ViolinSchool Library!
The increasing speed of broadband internet has transformed private tutoring, and learners are now able to connect with teachers all around the world. Real-time lessons via the internet are possible using a webcam and a piece of videoconferencing software such as Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, and Apple Facetime, to name a few. There are very […]
Yeeeeeee-haaaaaaaaaw! Get your feet tapping with this romping barn dance, great for practising open string double stops! See how fast you can get the ending! Click here to download Barn Chide from the ViolinSchool Library!
A sorrowful, lyrical tear-jerker of a tune for which you’ll only need the first and second fingers of the left hand (and a handkerchief to wipe away the tears!) Click here to download Weeping Willow from the ViolinSchool Library!
We've just added a couple of useful new resources to Online Course 1A. Check out this guide to types of note values - and how to say them in British *and* American English!
Play with whole bows and then, during the rests, make nice big circles with the bow in the air. This will really help you to get used to the feel of the bow. Click here to download Full Circle from the ViolinSchool Library!
Chop up the semibreves into minims, crotchets and quavers (whole notes into halves, quarters, and eighths). Watch out for your fingers … eek … you’ll need those! Click here to download Slice and Dice from the ViolinSchool Library!
Whisk together lots of scrumptious 8th notes (quavers) and 16th notes (semiquavers) to create a delicious performance of this sweet treat of a piece! Click here to download Bread and Butter Pudding from the ViolinSchool Library!
This classic football rhythm is chanted at matches by fans all over the world. Use it to practise your ‘pizzicato’ technique, then try playing it with the bow as well! Click here to download The Big Match from the ViolinSchool Library!
Oo-er! Who goes there?! Make sure you get all the rhythms right or Hobnob the Goblin will chide you! There’s nothing Hobnob loves more than chiding! Click here to download Hobnob The Goblin from the ViolinSchool Library!
Take a trip on the London Underground … and Mind the Gap! Use the station names to play the rhythms on an open string, and then try it with different stations! Click here to download Mind the Gap from the ViolinSchool Library!
Check out this brand new video from Christian Howes about how to play Bossa and Samba on the violin! Christian is coming to London on Tuesday 30th and Wednesday 31st January to work with ViolinSchool Learners on Improvisation, Contemporary Styles, Harmony... and lots of other incredible topics that go way beyond 'classical' playing... check out […]
We're just a couple of days away from hosting superstar jazz violinist CHRISTIAN HOWES at our London school! His residency will feature an introduction to improvisation session, a solo show, and a Boot Camp for advanced players who want to begin mastering the skills of improvisation and playing creatively in contemporary styles. We are super […]
Check out this classic visualisation of Pachelbel's Canon (Thanks to VS Learner Inez for sending this in!)... the movement of the staves in real time on the video give you a really clear sense of how the music repeats itself - check out that ground bass (not the most exciting part ever for a cello, […]
Ready ... Steady ... Gooooooooooo!!! These fun rhythms will keep you busy while you wait for the green light! Try clapping them first, then play with the bow. Click here to watch the video lesson Click here to download Traffic Lights from the ViolinSchool Library
Tea for Three, and Three for Tea! A lovely waltzing melody in A major, with some rather delicious ‘C naturals’ thrown in. Also goes well with lots of biscuits! Click here to download Tea for Three from the ViolinSchool Library!
If you're in a happy mood, skip this blog post! But if you're in need of some time and space to wallow, reflect, and find solace, then click the play button below. This hauntingly beautiful piece of music by ViolinSchool's David Worswick deep-delves into a richly subtle kaleidoscope of harmony, with an emotional narrative that's […]
In this fascinating new video from Wired magazine, pianist Jacob Collier explains the concept of harmony to musicians of 5 different ages / experience levels: The thing is, a deep instinctive (and analytical) understanding of harmony can be an extraordinary tool for realising the emotions you want to create in music, and to communicate those […]
Zzzzzzzzzoooom! The Super Speedy Super-Fly goes super-fast and super-high ... buzzing around happily in A major … up, up, up to a top A on the E string! Click here to download Super Speedy Super-Fly from the ViolinSchool Library!
Mooooooooo! Get used to the sound of each string with this onomatopoeic piece for beginners! Try our version and then make up your own animal sound for each string! Click here to download Meow, Quack Quack, Baa Baa, Moo from the ViolinSchool Library!
We're super-excited here at ViolinSchool, because the much-loved Christian Howes is coming to visit our London school later this month for a Creative Strings London residency. We'll be sharing loooooads of Chris's teaching with you over the next few days and weeks, but to get you in the mood, here's his high-octane cover of Crazy by […]
An expressive, flowing melody in B minor, with a lilting 6/8 time signature and undulating dotted rhythms. Aim to produce your most pure, crystalline tone. Click here to download Crystal Stream from the ViolinSchool Library!
Chopin was inspired by Bach's '24 Preludes & Fugues' to write his 24 Preludes of his own! This is the 7th - written in the style of a Mazurka (a Polish folk dance). Click here to download Chopin's Prelude No.7 from the ViolinSchool Library!
Whirligig ... full of swirling scales and spinning chromaticism, it’s a whirly whirly fun piece!! It’s also pretty tricky for the left hand, but try to make it sing, dance and lilt! Click here to download Whirligig from the ViolinSchool Library!
